Bubblegum Crisis Post 2040 Fanfic Series

Bubblegum Crisis Post 2040 File 1: Dominant Species

Part 2: Hunters

Chapter 23: Critical Seconds

by P. Kristen Enos (bgcpost2040@aol.com)

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A Bubblegum Crisis Tokyo 2040 English Dub Version Fanfic. All rights belong to AIC, ADV Films and the other creative powers that be. I just want credit for writing the story. Contains spoilers! Rated PG13. Yuri warning! Nothing in here should be a shock if you've watched the episodes and paid attention. All I'm doing is filling in the gaps with my own interpretation of events! Special thanks to egret for betaing!

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"Come on, Dales! Can't you give me one teeny little hint?!" Yuuji's voice pleaded from the cell phone.

"You're crossing the line, Buddy!" Daley stated jokingly, pointing out their mutual agreement to keep their professional lives separate. The detective allowed himself a smile. Yuuji could be extremely cute when his curiosity got the better of him. "You're going to have to wait for the official press statement, just like every other good reporter."

He snorted in response. "Dales, you can't blame me for trying. After all, this is the biggest story since the Boomer Revolution!"

Daley was glad this wasn't a face to face conversation, as otherwise his partner would have immediately noticed his reflexive wince at the reference. Indulging in a yawn, he looked up at the brightly lit night sky and leaned against the back of the large vehicle parked in the alley way in the hospital complex.

"Look, anything I give you now would be pure conjecture, Yuuji," Daley tried to explain. "Tabloid stuff. Now, you wouldn't want your pressman's honor tainted by such a flimsy story."

"A story is as good as its source so that argument won't work with me," Yuuji countered. "Besides, you wouldn't go on an overnight stakeout over conjecture. You value your sleep too much for that."

Before Daley could make an indignant retort, the mobile pit's side door flew open and Mackie stuck his head out.

"We've got a positive reading," the anxious young 'man' reported.

"Got to go, Sweets! Sleep tight!" Daley blurted before disconnecting the call, hitting the preprogrammed alert signal on his phone and then putting it away.

The detective rushed inside the mini-command center to find Nigel Kirkland sitting at the terminal station, his eyes darting over the monitor screens as he tried different cameras in the hospital's security system in an attempt to find their target. His ragged mechanics jumper and long brown pony-tail easily camouflaged the technical brilliance of the man who provided critical professional and personal support to Sylia for her Knight Sabers operations.

"The beacons we placed by the emergency room entrance went off, registering only a single signal," the technician explained. "Unfortunately, it was right at the time when a couple of ambulances arrived with several car accident victims so there's a lot of activity right now."

Daley squinted through his glasses at the flash of images. "So that means a single person can easily get lost in the shuffle."

"We'll find her," Nigel answered grimly, his fingers flying across the keyboard with surprising efficiency for a man who had been dead asleep on the floor moments before.

"I already called Linna so she's getting dressed right now," Mackie announced. "Sylia and Nene should be here any minute."

"Got her!" Nigel exclaimed triumphantly. "I'm firing up the transmission jammers in the courtyard now."

The screen showed the view of an elevator camera that was focused on a lone woman dressed in a plain shirt and pants. It was clear her stance was very formal and straight-backed, and her attention remained focused ahead, reinforcing their perception that she may not be human. She had long blonde hair that was tied back in a braid.

"Come on, let's get ready," Daley said to Mackie as he tossed his jacket aside and pulled on his bulletproof vest as a precaution. He then grabbed his ready sniper's rifle with the infrared site and silencer.

The two of them jumped out of the van and ran to the edge of the alley, which opened up to the large garden courtyard that served as the heart of the hospital complex.

A cluster of five large buildings surrounding a main courtyard in a U-shaped layout made up the complex. The single building which was at the hub of the 'U' served as the hospital's main entrance during the day time. The emergency entrance was at the back of one of the side buildings, leaving the courtyard completely empty and quiet at 2 a.m., which was perfect for what needed to happen.

Daley used his rifle site to look for Linna's hospital room, which was in the front of the fourth floor of the building across from them. As soon as he found it, she had turned off her lights and pulled open the drape. He could see her open the window enough to sit on the ledge as she waited for her expected visitor. The young woman was clearly positioned to jump to the nearby drainpipe as her attention was focused on the door of her room.

Daley felt himself hold his breath as they waited for those crucial seconds. Next to him, he could feel a similar tension from Mackie, as if the boomer was also holding his breath.

Just then, everything seemed to be a blur of motion.

Linna suddenly turned, jumping for the drainpipe and beginning her sliding descent downwards towards the ground. She had just started her slide when her would-be assassin suddenly appeared at the window to follow in pursuit. For a natural athlete, Linna's actions were unusually forced and sloppy, an indication that she was also fighting the affects of white noise.

Sylvie lunged for the drainage pipe as well, her stance and actions showing a different intent than sliding down it. She snagged the pipe and, with her feet planted against the wall, wrenched the lifeline from its braces, a metal squeal echoing into the night.

"SHIT!!!" Daley blurted as he watched Linna, Sylvie and the twisted pipe drop to the ground.

In a frantic attempt to brace her almost three-story fall with her arms, Linna twisted and hit the grass-covered ground sideways. She moved feebly for a bit but then became still.

Sylvie twisted and landed on her feet with the dexterity and grace of a cat, although she obviously made a noticeable dent in the ground with a matching 'thud' sound. The long, broken drainpipe was still firmly in her grip. She then stood over her target and stared down in a momentary pause, as if determining what her next action would be.

Daley then reacted on instinct, knowing that his actions were probably his death sentence. He fired at the back of Sylvie's head, causing her to lurch forward a bit before she immediately regained her footing and spun around in his direction. He knew the bullets wouldn't damage her, much less kill her, but he only needed to buy time by focusing her attention on him rather than the fallen Linna.

And it worked, now that Sylvie now calmly started to walk toward him while wielding the broken pipe menacingly.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Mackie run across the courtyard in a mad sprint that hopefully kept him out of Sylvie's focus yet was direct enough to get to Linna as soon as possible.

Daley also noticed that some of the hospital rooms were starting to light up because people heard the commotion caused by Sylvie's destruction of the drainage pipe. Then, as if on cue, the courtyard lights were cut, plunging the area into deep darkness so that a casual observer wouldn't be able to easily see what was going on. Daley wondered if this was Nigel's doing.

Meanwhile, Sylvie continued to walk toward him.

Daley fired another shot, this time at her foot, which caused her to trip and stumble onto the grass.

She easily got back to her feet to continue closing the hundred yards which separated them.

Daley felt his body soak in sweat as his heart pounded wildly as he fired another shot to make her fall.

'Come on! Where are they?!' he thought frantically.

Sylvie stood again, but paused as a distracted expression crossed her face. She then looked up at the night sky, apparently forgetting the detective for a moment.

As if on cue, the familiar silhouettes of two hardsuits suddenly descended from the night sky.

-- End Chapter 23 --

-- End Part 2 --

Special Author's Note: And so Part 2 is wrapped up, with three more parts for this first story, which if you hadn't noticed is now titled "Dominant Species". "BGC Post 2040 Files" references the entire universe these stories take place in.

Now for the really bad news for you cliffhanger haters, I'm taking the month of July "off" from the series to do other things -- like work on my other anime site, attend conventions (Anime Expo and San Diego Comicon) and have a life in general. Plus, my beta reader needs a break too. I won't launch Part 3 until beginning of August.

If you feel like you're going through Post 2040 withdrawals, well that's what the fanfiction.net forum is for. I will be keeping an eye out for any postings there as well as direct emails. I will also be cleaning up the series, like correcting the fact that Linna wasn't in Okinawa but Osaka.

Otherwise, see you in August! K ;)